The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1887-02-09
TRUTHS FOR YOUNG MEN.
PEARLS OF THOUGHT AND GEMS OF
SPEECH.

Address of Prof. ]. 1. NcCnis, Of E-s
Kline College. Before tsc GoaEa
.scn-S Christian Association, Il; Hl;<
West. ut the February Meeting:
ESSI.
The search after truth is one in which all arr
Interested. J: has engaged the efforts ot th'
wiScSt men oi every age: but 81 broad IS lh'
question as to what is truth, that II VIII new"
to- completely answered, until the time. when
with intGilrctS uuicNHnctaad vision S'r.'A:l!H
<.rcl, We shall sc and know even aS a :" No
:t"c seen and known. AZ tn" men of each ste
>"e:!ing q re have advanced in tn" solution %
Tho problem, the horizon of truth has ever re-
r.led before them. ami tnc question Whl'l
plate put TO Christ forever rctariiS, NV nat Il
,rnth?" -
which we live, and with who's" dust our boo
i"S shall mingic when onr spirits have lei
ih"mc What is truth with rcE;rd TO ihcS,
heavens which roll above Us. an" ir"'n wh"S(
5ar Off worlds no visitor has ever COM" TO irl
us vi their wonders: More Important still
what is truth with regard tt This lie of ours
oar conduct here, and our final destiny here
;iirr: Happily the most important "t these
questions have been so clearly answered IN
the experience Of men. as well as in The teach
ing OF Gods word. that we can cast anchor
here. and feel that We ar" on firm ground.
Men may wrunglc rs much as they please
about other truths hut these are settled on TOO
Soli.l Il basis TO be shaken now: and wish t''-
might - call your attention To some TWO or
three general truths, or principles, wh!ch al
lnIn must accept. nEl on which !h"y muSt
act, If they wish to he useful to themselves nr
the world: ana tic fact that these truths arc
80 generally admitted, while they are so ire
Uuently neglected, makes il all tie more nee.
p>Sary that they should be constantly urged
upon our attention.
WORKERS ARE SEEDED-DrDrS, DEAD-EEATS
AND DRoSES ARE NOT WANTED.
The first truth to which J call your attcn-
tion is this: If you wish To be nSriul 10 Your
selves or The world. YOU :huSt rral!Z" that this
life is life Of work. Noonc is placed her"
S:mrly for ornamental purposes Tin son o!
God himSel: come, not to be minis'cr"l unto.
hut to minister, that Is. to work; to SthnG NJ
the c:trpnn'pr'S bench at WORK: TO walk over
the hills of Palestine, f"o':Snrc AMI weary
with work: and To close Il life of work WITH
that triumpha1t challenge which stands N"t
;lurrfltrj AT is finished" This is t3c KIND
OF ornament that God wants in his world. He
wants no ornament Of dud"S. dead heads and
dronrs. The world has always had its %"ni;;S-
cS, i,S they nrc called, mcn who are poHuia'iy
supposed to have h"Gn born with the hlrin
mark of imninrialiT upon them, pr"d"Stl-
nutcd, 81 to speak. un:O everlasting greatness:
the PlatoS. the BarOnS, the Millions. III" t;r
sirS, and the Nan"l"onS: but heSit1lr not 10
S,y in the nrcs"ncc ot this audience thrt the
orca.cr part of tie genius of even these sup
lnsci flv"rit"s of fortune lay in their work.
These may have hrcn lo"n each with silver
down conteat to sup inNaatS milk WIN 1t FOR
ever, each used simply as an incentive 10
gather more and brighter silver SPOONS for
himself Milton worked his eyes nn:. and IT,"
r,!t that what hr accomplished WAS Il reward
fnr their loss. C;csa" was an un;iring ;oi."r.
and it w,S Cesar the nvcr-pr"rrrcd t'iat m:t'!r
possible the Caesar who said. 81 came, ! saw:
CDnnurrc.i." BIcOn'S life was Il life OF wn!K.
So hlsy was Il. that even amid t1c Snl"HdnrS
of tho royal presence we are tod. "h:S mind
was engaged in contemplating the we:"hiy
pro,l"nS at tho .NO..Hm OrGTnnm.' In f;r''
Shou.d not ho f,r wrong. If Shoull say t!int
genius consists principally III wiiiH"n'>S 10
work and Il di-nnStion to MAX" IL" n''St ni
our opportunities. 1t i certain that The ""Ni-
us nf most men consists in this. and il is Ger
tain, on the other hand, That if we hay" &C.
niuS Of this kind, We do not need much q! =
higher order.
-.The fault. dear D"Itrs. is not in orr stars,
But in ourselves that we are HEdcrlingS.
Yes there is The difficulty. Il lies somewhat
nearer home than the stars.
RULES BY WHICH GREAT RESULTS NAY i;E
ACcoNpLiSIfEr.
All rrrhapS have heard of the celebrated
reply of BomoS.hcn"S when Ee WAS asked
wha; is th" first rule Of orr'"rr. "Act"n.
said ho, "Wcll, what is the Sc"0nd"' ".Ar-
ton" said tn" great orator '.rray, what is
The third? 2" "Ac,iun,' still said lac. And the
c";:>r!e>s labor ny which he placed himself 1T
The head of the great masters of speech. and
with elonnencn forever is TIC hest evidence
that his rules were true. And uS! so. the first
rule for hcimg something and doing some
thing in life is not, BE born II s0-c"illcd genius
or under some happy star: hut. Wcrk-
Work with paticnre long ana well,
Then no need TO boast your triumph.
For the years themselves will tell"
The second rule does not read. BE nurSod in
the lap Of ease and sit there, Nrawh"r-lil",
waiting for something to turn up: huI WORK.
son the worlds broad field of battle
BE Il hero in the strife
The third rule is not Depend upon it. you
will he something. hrcasu*t. Your fnth"r or
Your grandfather was something; bat. Work,
or You will b" nothing more than a milk sop
as long us you live.
"Trt the dead past bnry its dead
Work. work in the living present,
Heart within and God o'Crhcad.'
These are the rules by which God helps
thos" who help Themselves, and whoever is
not willing TO follow them need not expect
success, for they are the Go'l-arpointc'i means
whether you arc seeking success ;lS IL student
of The stars or Il barkcr of boots. aS Il dOcio or
of divinity OF sweeper OF streets.
FAITH WITHOUT WORKS Is DEAD.
Says James p. Lowell in ore or his essays.
,''rhc creed OF the founders of New England
may hc summed up in This: Faith in God,
faith IN man, and faith in work e; and Will
ada 10 this that thC;r faith in work WAS tho
faith i'll man; for as an apostle has it. you
show me your faith without yorr WORKS, and
] Will show you my faith by MY works: or. aS
Mr.. Emerson puiS the same Thought. 9TH"
prayer Of tho farmer kn""lin% in his field tp
weed it. the prayer Of The rover kn"rlu.r
With the stroke of his oar. are truc prayers.
since the faith Of the suppliantS is shown by
thoir work.
Let me then urge YOU as candidates for sac-
caSS in college, as candidates for success in
YOUR life work, Us candidates for high and
true nobility, 10 accept rs You would accept q
decree OF fate the teaching OF That expressive
and truthful motto which :ulornS tn" fToat o.
ono of your halls. and which il worthy of be
ing set in star, 7rniore est rdt"r", and :"ilcnr
lc" that the opposite of ii i just aS true. not
to try is not to excel. Al biography trachc.
it. All human experience confirms it.
TIE REQUISITE TO ATTAIN TIE HIGHEST
sUccHSs-wlLD OATS CONTAIN TIE GERM
OF THE WEEPING WILLOW.
The next truth to which I'sall attention is
that, i'm order To attain the hi%hc>: success
You should be Christian gentlemen. NJ"
Stanley in his life of DR.. Thomas Arnold, o
NuGby. says that on one occasion lin" D"c;o
mad. the following remark II his pupils, and
] will apply il to ErSk!n": 1T i not n"cc-Sr
that this Schoo! rt Ours S!ionlt contain
three hundr"l students: it Is not necessary
that it Shnuid contain fifty: bu' IL is n"c''SS:i
Iy that II ShOnid b" Il school of Christian gen
tlcmrn." And every wis" and cool man vii
say that Mr.. Arnold WAS right. But many
young men overlook the Importance of lhl'
truth. When they cross the tnrrSh Oil OF Thea
home for cnileg" or for coming in contact Will
the world, they leave behind them too Otter
IN" simple belief of their iltarrs ;lnd lnollcTS
They tn,ieavor too often to still" the imlrc>
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